Goals: MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN) will obtain critical measurements of the Martian atmosphere to help understand dramatic climate change on the Red Planet over its history. MAVEN will provide information on how, and how, fast atmospheric gases are being lost to space today, and infer from those detailed studies what happened in the past. Studying how the Martian atmosphere was lost to space can reveal clues about the impact that change had on the Martian climate, geologic and geochemical conditions over time, all of which are important in understanding whether Mars had an environment able to support life.

Accomplishments: MAVEN arrived in orbit at Mars on schedule. Science instruments will be commissioned in a few weeks.